ESQUIMAUX HUTS AND REMAINS. 509 



eartli-liiits belonging to tlie natives. These were remark- 

 able, even in the distance, by a small crater edged with 

 a circle of stones, the walls of which, together with the 

 whole sm^roundings, were covered with thick green 

 grass and moss. Upon coming nearer, square open 

 holes were to be seen half in the earth, built over with 

 strong stone walls from which a narrow underground 

 passage led into the open air. 



The huts seemed to be mostly rectangular, some, how- 

 ever, had the corners rounded. The size differed : the 



LOXGITUDI.VAL SECTIOX OF AN ESQUIMAUX HUT. 



length was from three to three yards and a half, the 

 breadth two, and the height about one. The walls were 

 most artistically raised with middling-sized stones which 

 lay near at hand, the interstices in which grass and 

 weeds now thrived were originally filled with moss and 

 turf. 



Within the walls were here and there small niches, 

 we also found a larger one in one of the back corners. 

 Besides which between the stones were the remains of 

 wooden pegs, which had no doubt served for hanging up 

 vessels. The floors of the huts seemed composed of 

 earth and stones, and were partly covered with thick 

 close sward. Ice lay in some places, and the earth was 

 frozen on the surface. 



